Remote controller for a variety of appliances

• US 6,348,956 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Yoshio, Ohtsu, Takashi, Tsuji, Seiji, Tanigawa, Hidekazu, Mukai, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US09/497,777
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 348/552, 348/234, 348/553, 348/569, 340/825.72, 340/825.73, 340/825.76, 725/80, 725/81, 725/141
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A program receiver for displaying a graphical interactive picture by receiving a program transmitted from a program transmitter, the program receiver comprising: a storage unit for storing a plurality of basic picture elements in advance, the plurality of basic picture elements being figures composing the graphical interactive picture manipulated by a user; a signal receipt unit for receiving a signal transmitted from the program transmitter, the signal being a multiplex signal including a program and data specifying a structure of the graphical interactive picture; a signal separation unit for separating the signal received by the signal receipt unit into a program signal and a graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal; a first graphical interactive picture generation unit for generating the graphical interactive picture by combining the basic picture elements stored in the storage unit based on the graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal from the signal separation unit; and a display unit for display the graphical interactive picture generated by the first graphical interactive picture generation unit.

Claims

1. A remote controller comprising structure information supply unit for holding structure information for various types of appliances in advance, and portable remote control unit for controlling said appliances,

(1) said structure information supply unit including:

a transmitter'"'"'s structure information storage unit for storing the structure information, the structure information including control information for each appliance and object information, said control information being used by said remote control unit in controlling said appliances, said object information representing manipulation objects forming a manipulation unit of said remote control unit; and

a structure information transmission unit for retrieving the control information and the object information from said transmitter'"'"'s structure information storage unit to send the retrieved information to said remote control unit,

(2) said remote control unit including;

a structure information receipt unit for receiving the control information and the object information from said structure information transmission unit;

a receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit for storing the control information and the object information received by said structure information receipt unit,

a display unit for displaying a picture having a manipulation area used for manipulating said appliances;

a first display control unit for controlling said display unit to place the manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on the object information stored in said receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit;

a manipulation detection unit for detecting which manipulation object is manipulated on the manipulation area;

a first control signal transmission unit for transmitting a control signal assigned for the manipulation object detected by said manipulation detection unit to said appliances based on the control information stored in said receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit,

whereby said appliances operate in accordance with the control signal from said remote control unit; and

, wherein said structure information supply unit is installed in each appliance controlled by the control signal from said remote control unit.

2. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein

said structure information supply unit further includes:

a structure information generation unit for generating state-based control information depending on an action state of each appliance, said state-based control information being transmitted to said remote control unit by said structure information transmission unit;

an object information generation unit for generating the object information depending on the action state of each appliance, the object information being transmitted to said remote control unit by said structure information transmission unit, and wherein said remote control unit further includes;

a generated information receipt unit for receiving the state-based control information from said structure information transmission unit;

a generated information update unit for updating the control information and the object information in said receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit in accordance with the state-based control information received by said generated information receipt unit;

a second control signal transmission unit for transmitting a control signal assigned to the manipulated object detected by said manipulation detection unit to said appliances based on updated control information stored in said receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit;

a generated object information receipt unit for receiving updated object information from said structure information transmission unit; and

a second display control unit for controlling said display unit to place updated manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on the updated object information received by said generated object information receipt unit.

3. A remote controller comprising a structure information supply unit for holding structure information for various types of appliances in advance, a first remote control unit for controlling said appliances, and a second portable remote control unit for controlling said appliances,

(1) said structure information supply unit including:

a transmitter'"'"'s structure information storage unit for storing the structure information, the structure information including control information for each appliance and object information, said control information being used by said second remote control unit in controlling said appliances, said object information representing manipulation objects forming a manipulation unit of said second remote control unit; and

a structure information transmission unit for retrieving the control information and the object information from said transmitter'"'"'s structure information storage unit to send the retrieved information to said second remote control unit,

(2) said first remote control unit including;

a manipulation acceptance unit for accepting a manipulation direction; and

a signal transmission unit for transmitting a control signal assigned to the manipulation direction accepted by said manipulation acceptance unit, whereby said appliances operate in accordance with the control signal from said first remote control unit,

(3) said second remote control unit including;

a structure information receipt unit for receiving the control information and the object information from said structure information transmission unit;

a receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit for storing the control information and the object information received by said structure information receipt unit,

a display unit for displaying a picture having a manipulation area used for manipulating said appliances;

a first display control unit for controlling said display unit to place the manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on the object information stored in said receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit;

a manipulation detection unit for detecting which manipulation object is manipulated on the manipulation area;

a first control signal transmission unit for transmitting a control signal assigned for the manipulation object detected by said manipulation detection unit to said appliances based on the control information stored in said receiver'"'"'s structure information storage unit,

whereby said appliances operate in accordance with the control signal from said second remote control unit.

4. In a remote control system comprising a plurality of appliances and a remote controller for transmitting control signals to said plurality of appliances,

(1) said remote controller including:

menu information request transmission unit for transmitting a menu information request to each appliance, said menu information being hierarchical information unique to each appliance for enabling a user to control each appliance interactively;

menu receipt unit for receiving the menu information transmitted from each appliance;

menu information synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information received by said menu receipt unit, said menu information synthesis unit including;

a) a menu information storage unit for storing the menu information of each appliance received by said menu receipt unit, the menu information being hierarchical information including a panel object name and shape information;

b) a synthesis rule storage unit for storing synthesis rules regulating menu-information synthesis, said synthesis rules including a synthesis rule for a hierarchical structure, a synthesis rule for a panel object, a selection rule for a displayed shape, and a synthesis rule for control of said appliances;

c) a menu synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information of said appliances stored in said menu information storage unit into one hierarchical structure in accordance with the hierarchical synthesis rules in said synthesis rule storage unit;

d) a panel object synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information of said appliances in said menu information storage unit into one panel object in accordance with the synthesis rule for the panel object stored in said synthesis rule storage unit, the synthesis rule for the panel object being to synthesize the menu information identified by an identical panel object name;

e) a shape synthesis unit for making the shape information uniform for each appliance for the menu information in said menu information storage unit in accordance with the selection rule for the displayed shape in said synthesis rule storage unit, said selection rule being to select the shape information of a specified appliance and apply the same to the shape information for each appliance for the menu information in said menu information storage unit; and

f) an action append unit for inserting data as to a control action in accordance with the synthesis rule for the control of said appliances, the synthesis rule for the control being to insert the data as to the control action described by the synthesis rule for the control at a position specified by the synthesis rule for the control;

menu display unit for visually displaying synthesized menu information generated by said menu information synthesis unit;

input manipulation unit for accepting a user'"'"'s input manipulation to control said appliances; and

control signal transmission unit for transmitting the control signals to said appliances based on the input manipulation accepted by said input manipulation unit,

(2) each appliance including;

menu information request receipt unit for receiving the menu information request from said menu information request transmission unit;

menu information transmission unit for transmitting the menu information to said menu receipt unit when said menu information request receipt unit receives the menu information request;

control signal receipt unit for receiving the control signals from said control signal transmission unit; and

control unit for controlling said appliances as per control signals received by said control signal receipt unit.

5. The remote control system of claim 4, wherein said menu display unit includes:

a bit map data conversion unit for converting the menu information synthesized by said menu synthesis unit, panel synthesis unit, shape synthesis unit, and action append unit into bit map data for a visual display;

a display unit for displaying the menu information converted into the bit map data by said bit map data conversion unit;

a first manipulation acceptance unit for accepting a user'"'"'s selection of menu displayed by said display unit; and

a selected menu notice unit for notifying a menu selected and accepted by said first manipulation acceptance unit to said menu information synthesis unit.

6. The remote control system of claim 5, wherein said menu information synthesis unit further includes a menu information retrieval unit for retrieving the menu information from said menu storage unit for the appliance corresponding to the menu notified by said selected menu notice unit, retrieved menu information including information as to manipulation objects displayed by said display unit, and

wherein said menu display unit further includes:

a menu information conversion unit for converting the menu information retrieved by said menu information retrieval unit into the bit map data, the menu information retrieved by said menu information retrieval unit including information as to a display of manipulation objects displayed by said display unit;

a change menu display control unit for controlling said display unit to display the menu information converted into the bit map data by said menu information conversion unit;

a second manipulation acceptance unit for accepting a user'"'"'s control manipulation related to a control over the appliance using the manipulation objects displayed by said display unit; and

a manipulation notice unit for notifying the control manipulation accepted by said second manipulation acceptance unit to said control signal transmission unit.

7. A system including peripheral appliances holding graphical interactive picture structure data and a display unit for displaying a graphical interactive picture for said peripheral appliances by receiving a unique manipulation direction signal from each peripheral appliance, said display unit including:

graphical interactive picture structure data receipt unit for receiving the graphical interactive picture structure data from said peripheral appliances to generate the graphical interactive picture;

display'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit for storing the graphical interactive picture structure data received by said graphical interactive picture structure data receipt unit;

graphical display element storage unit for storing a plurality of graphical display elements to generate the graphical interactive picture;

manipulation direction signal receipt unit for receiving the manipulation direction signal from said peripheral appliances;

graphical interactive picture generation unit for receiving the manipulation direction signal received by said manipulation direction signal receipt unit, and for retrieving the graphical interactive picture structure data from said display'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit to generate the graphical interactive picture by combining the graphical display elements stored in said graphical display element storage unit;

said graphical interactive picture generation unit including;

a) a temporary storage unit for temporarily storing the manipulation direction signal received by said manipulation direction signal receipt unit;

b) a retrieval unit for retrieving the manipulation direction signal from said temporary storage unit;

c) a graphical interactive picture structure data extract unit for extracting the graphical interactive structure data from said display'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit in accordance with the manipulation direction signal retrieved by said retrieval unit to generate the graphical interactive picture, the graphical interactive picture structure data including object information defining objects that form the graphical interactive picture, shape information defining shapes of the objects, position information defining positions of the objects, action information defining the objects'"'"' actions that change the graphical interactive picture based on the manipulation direction signal;

d) a graphical display element extract unit for extracting bit map data from said graphical display element storage unit based on the shape information extracted by said graphical interactive picture structure data extract unit, said bit map data being stored in said graphical display element storage unit in relation with the shape information;

e) a synthesis generation unit for generating a graphical display by synthesizing the bit map data extracted by said graphical display element extract unit and an attribute value of a character string attribute of each object, said attribute value of the character string attribute displayed on the bit map data being included in the object information;

f) a placement unit for placing the graphical display synthesized by said synthesis generation unit based on the position information in the graphical interactive picture structure data; and

display unit for displaying the graphical interactive picture generated by said graphical interactive picture generation unit.

8. The system in claim 7, wherein said graphical interactive picture generation unit further includes a graphical interactive picture structure data update unit for updating a content of the graphical interactive picture structure data in said display'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit based on the action information extracted by said graphical interactive picture structure data extract unit when the manipulation direction signal retrieved by said retrieval unit is an update direction.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said display unit further includes:

a TV receiver unit for converting a received program into an image;

a TV manipulation unit for accepting a manual manipulation to said TV receiver unit;

a TV'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit for storing the graphical interactive picture structure data related to said TV receiver unit in advance; and

a TV'"'"'s interactive picture generation unit for retrieving the graphical interactive picture structure data from said TV'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit when said TV manipulation unit receives the manual manipulation to generate the graphical interactive picture by combining the graphical display elements in said graphical display element storage unit to update the graphical interactive picture each time a manual manipulation is received by said TV manipulation unit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each peripheral appliance includes:

a manipulation unit for accepting a user'"'"'s action direction addressed to a self peripheral appliance;

user'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit for storing the graphical interactive picture structure data to display the graphical interactive picture as per action direction accepted by said manipulation unit;

a control unit for controlling said self'"'"'s peripheral appliance to set a function by giving a direction to transmit the graphical interactive picture structure data and generating a manipulation direction signal to generate the graphical interactive picture and a manipulation direction signal to updated graphical interactive picture upon acceptance of the action direction from said manipulation unit;

graphical interactive picture structure data transmission unit for retrieving the graphical interactive picture structure data from said user'"'"'s graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit upon receipt of the transmission direction from said control unit, and for transmitting the retrieved graphical interactive picture structure data to said display unit; and

manipulation direction signal transmission unit for transmitting the manipulation direction signal generated by said control unit to said display unit.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said control unit includes:

a first signal generation unit for generating the manipulation direction signal as per action direction from said manipulation unit; and

a second signal generation unit for generating a predetermined subsidiary data signal depending on current action state of said self peripheral appliance, said subsidiary data being a supplement of the graphical interactive picture structure data and constituting an integral part thereof, said subsidiary data signal being generated by said first signal generation unit together with the manipulation direction signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said manipulation unit is portable.

13. A remote controller system comprising;

structure information supply unit for holding structure information for a plurality of various types of appliances in advance; and

a portable remote control unit for controlling each of said appliances,

(1) said structure information supply unit including;

a structure information storage memory for storing the structure information, the structure information including control information for each appliance and object information, said control information being used by said remote control unit in controlling said appliances, said object information representing control indicia for forming a user manipulation area on said remote control unit; and

a structure information transmission unit for retrieving the control information and the object information from said structure information storage memory to send the retrieved information to said remote control unit,

(2) said remote control unit including;

a structure information receipt unit for receiving the control information and the object information from said structure information transmission unit;

a receiver memory for storing the control information and the object information received by said structure information receipt unit;

a display unit having a screen for displaying an image having the manipulation area displaying control indicia formed by said object information and useable by a user to set an operation of one of said plurality of appliances;

a manipulation detection unit for detecting which control indicia is manipulated on the manipulation area by the user;

a first control signal transmission unit for transmitting a control signal assigned for the control indicia detected by said manipulation detection unit to said appliance based on the control information stored in said receiver memory, whereby said appliance operates in accordance with a control signal from said remote control unit; and

a first display control unit for controlling said display unit to place the control indicia on the manipulation area of the screen based on the object information stored in said receiver memory;

wherein control information is installed in an appliance by the control signal from said remote control unit.